by Cori Lefkowith | Dec 6, 2013
WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats
WORKOUT
Complete 3-5 rounds of each circuit. Rest 30 seconds to 1 minute between rounds. Then rest 1-2 minutes between circuits.
CIRCUIT #1:
SAQ Drills:
1 length Ladder Drill
5-10 reps Bobcats
5-10 reps Hinge Throws for Height
CIRCUIT #2:
3-6 reps per side Turkish Get Ups
CIRCUIT #3:
10-15 reps per side Step Downs
CIRCUIT #4:
10-15 reps per side Dumbbell Cross Body Chop
COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats
NOTES:
Focus on precision of movement not on lifting the most weight possible. Take your time with the moves. This is a great workout to develop core strength.
EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:
Ladder Drill – You can either choose to do a few different ones and get more advanced as you go or you can pick one and do 3-5 rounds of that. Remember your goal is to move quickly while not sacrificing precision. You can do a hopscotch move, the Ali Shuffle, the Ickey Shuffle or even a basic one or two foot run. Choose drills to match your experience and level. Here are some drills to help you out!
Bobcats – Perform 5-10 reps. The goal of bobcats is to get everything to move together. Choose the variation you can do quickly and with precision. To set up for bobcats, lift up onto your hands and toes with your knees bent and under your hips and your hands under your shoulders. Beginners will then quickly bend their elbows and drop their knees to the ground as if they are trying to explode up off the ground. The next level is donkey kicks, jumping the feet up and down on the ground. When that feels easy, stay on your hands and toes and next just lift and jump the hands together. To advance this move further, you will actually lift everything up off the ground and land with hands and feet hitting together. Bend your elbows and drop your knees to the ground, then explode up off the ground and quickly come back down. You don’t want your hands or feet to hit before the other. You want everything to hit quickly together. Move as fast as possible. The goal is to get your core moving quickly together. Choose the level you can not only do well but do quickly.
Hinge Throws for Height – Grab a med ball with both hands. Set your feet between hip-width and shoulder-width apart. Hinge over pushing your butt back and bending your knees slightly. Keep your back flat as you bring your hands back between your legs. Then, as if doing a squat jump, launch yourself up into the air and extend your arms up and overhead, releasing the med ball toward the ceiling. Then land softly bending your knees as you land. You can either then catch the ball and repeat quickly, hinging right back over or you can let the ball bounce and give yourself a second or two between reps. Beginners should let the ball bounce. Use a lighter ball so you can throw it high in the air; however, make sure you challenge yourself.
Turkish Get Up – Start by lying on your back on the ground with your legs out straight. Then drive your right arm up straight and have your fist pointing up toward the ceiling. Bend your right knee and place your foot flat on the ground. Straighten your left arm out to the side (not straight out at shoulder height, but not right by your body). Keeping your right arm straight up and pointed toward the ceiling at all times (it can even help to balance something on your knuckles to remind you of this while you are learning), roll up on to your left forearm. Prop yourself up nice and tall on your left forearm. Press through your right foot on the ground. Do not let your right knee cave in and keep your left leg out straight on the ground. Once up on your forearm, press up onto your left hand with your left arm going straight. Sit up nice and tall. Do not shrug your shoulders. And remember, your right arm is always straight and pointing straight toward the ceiling. Then from the seated position you are going to bridge up, lifting your hips up as high as you can. You will press down through your left hand as well as your left heel and right foot. Keep your right foot flat on the ground and your left leg out straight. Do not let your right heel come up. From the bridge position, slide your left leg back and under you so that you are in a kneeling position with your hand on the ground. Make sure you swing your leg back enough so you are in a strong supported kneeling position that will allow you to lift your left hand off the ground. Staying nice and tall, lift your left hand and come to a kneeling position. Do not lean forward of slouch forward as you lift your hand up off the ground. With your right arm still pointing up at the ceiling, stomp your right foot into the ground and come up to standing, bringing your left foot forward to be even with your right foot. Once standing, you will reverse the steps until you are again lying on your back. You will first go back to kneeling, stepping your left foot back. You will then place your left hand down on the ground out to the side and just a little back from your left knee. You will then bridge up and swing your left leg through so it is out straight in front of you. As you bridge, keep your right heel firmly planted on the ground. From there, you will return to a seated position supported by your left hand. Then you will relax down to your forearm and finally roll on to your back. Do not slouch as you move back down. Keep a nice tall posture throughout the entire move. Repeat 3-5 reps on this right side before switching. You can also do this move with either a sandbag over your shoulder or a kettlbell or dumbbell in the raised hand. Beginners may just want to start by balancing something on their knuckles.
Step Downs – Start standing on the bench or box so that you can step off of it to the side with your left foot. Your right foot will be on the edge of the box as if you are going to step down onto your left foot. Slowly hinge forward, keeping your back flat. Push your butt back as you bend your right knee, dropping your left foot toward the ground. Do not touch your left foot down. Once you go as low as you can, drive right back up to standing. Do not do more than touch your left toe down. You don’t want to be able to push off your left foot at all. Make sure you are only driving through your right heel and not using your left foot on the ground. Control your decent and then press quickly back up.
Dumbbell Cross Body Chop – Start with the dumbbell vertical outside one hip and your arms bent. Feet shold be no wider than hip-width apart. Hinge back a bit, pushing the butt backward while leaning the torso forward just a bit. Then pop the hips forward to swing the dumbbell up across the body and up and outside the other shoulder. Then lower back down to the outside of the hip and repeat. Keep your core tight and your chest up nice and tall. Explosively push the dumbbell up and across your body, but lower it back down with control. Complete all reps on one side before switching.
by Cori Lefkowith | Dec 6, 2013
WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats
WORKOUT
Spend 5-10 minutes on each of the circuits below, doing as many rounds as possible without pushing yourself to go above 70% intensity. The drills should get your heart rate up but not push you close to an all out effort.
CIRCUIT #1:
Ladder drills
CIRCUIT #2:
Med Ball Drills
CIRCUIT #3:
5-10 reps Bobcats
COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats
NOTES:
You should feel like you are working but never feel like you are redlining. This is a lighter cardio day that will help you recover and prevent injuries.
EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:
Ladder Drills – Choose drills that challenge your coordination. Beginners may want to start with a one or even two foot run while more advanced exercisers may want to do the Ickey Shuffle or even a Carioca. Make sure that you complete the drills as quickly and as perfectly as possible. It is better to move slowly and do them perfectly than to speed through them and do them badly. Mix up the drills and challenge yourself to go forward, backward and even laterally. If you are doing it with a partner, alternate people going. You don’t want to rest for long and you want to keep moving, but again, you don’t want to redline.
Med Ball Drills – If you have a partner, these can be done by tossing the ball back and forth. You can also do this on your own with a wall. Use a med ball that challenges you but that allows you to move constantly with good form. You can do rotational passes, chest passes, overhead throws, sideways passes, throws for height. Mix them up but keep moving the entire time.
Bobcats – Perform 5-10 reps then rest and let your partner or the rest of your group go before repeating. If alone, give yourself about 20 seconds before repeating. The goal of bobcats is to get everything to move together. Choose the variation you can do quickly and with precision. To set up for bobcats, lift up onto your hands and toes with your knees bent and under your hips and your hands under your shoulders. Beginners will then quickly bend their elbows and drop their knees to the ground as if they are trying to explode up off the ground. The next level is donkey kicks, jumping the feet up and down on the ground. When that feels easy, stay on your hands and toes and next just lift and jump the hands together. To advance this move further, you will actually lift everything up off the ground and land with hands and feet hitting together. Bend your elbows and drop your knees to the ground, then explode up off the ground and quickly come back down. You don’t want your hands or feet to hit before the other. You want everything to hit quickly together. Move as fast as possible. The goal is to get your core moving quickly together. Choose the level you can not only do well but do quickly.
by Cori Lefkowith | Dec 6, 2013
WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest
Back/Lats
WORKOUT
Complete 3-5 rounds of the circuit below. Rest 30 seconds to 1 minute between rounds.
CIRCUIT:
8-15 reps each side Swing Balance Lunges
10-20 reps Swing Rows
10-20 reps Swing Decline Push Ups
10-20 reps Swing Knee Tucks
COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest
Back/Lats
NOTES:
This is going to be a very challenging workout. It can also be done on a suspension trainer at home or at the park.
EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:
Swing Balance Lunges – Place your back foot up on the swing and hop your front foot out so you are in a nice wide stance. Then lunge down, dropping your back knee toward the ground. Really sit back into the lunge. Make sure you aren’t going forward and that your front knee is not going past your toe. You should feel a nice stretch in the quad of the leg that is back when doing this move. If the swing is too hard because it causes too much instability, you can do this move with your foot up on a bench instead. Beginners may even want to start with a basic split squat on the ground.
Swing Rows – Be careful with this move as the chains can pinch. Grab one chain in each hand and walk your feet forward so you are at an incline. The closer to parallel to the ground you get, the harder the move will be. Keeping your body in a nice straight line, straighten your arms out. Squeeze your glutes and draw your belly button in toward your spine. Press your chest out and then row up. Bend your elbows and pull your hands and the chain in toward your chest. Your body should be in a nice straight line as you row up and as you go back down.
Swing Decline Push Ups – Set up with your ankles in a swing and your hands on the ground under your shoulders. Your body should be in a nice straight line. Your belly button should be pulled in and you should squeeze your glutes tight. Then, keeping your body in a straight line, bend your elbows and drop your chest toward the ground. Do not let your elbows flare way out or your shoulders shrug up as you lower down. Then press back up, keeping your body in a nice straight line. Beginners may need to start with push ups from the ground or incline push ups with their hands on the swing. Beginners can also do incline push ups from a bench.
Swing Knee Tucks – Place your ankles in a swing and your hands on the ground under your shoulders. Your body should be in a nice straight line. Then pull the swing in toward your body, tucking your knees in toward your chest. Once you tuck your knees in, you will straighten your legs back out. Do not let your hips sag as you straighten back out or your butt go up in the air. Keep your body in a nice straight line. Repeat, tucking your knees in and driving your legs back out straight. You can also do oblique knee tucks, bringing your knees in toward one side and then the other. Beginners may do mountain climbers on the ground.
by Cori Lefkowith | Dec 5, 2013
WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest
Back/Lats
WORKOUT
Perform one round of the isometric circuit below. Hold each exercise for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Rest no more than a minute before starting circuit 2.
CIRCUIT #1:
Toes
Squat Hold
Scapular Hold
High Plank
Glute Bridge
Perform 3-6 rounds of circuit #2. Rest for 15 seconds between each exercise and 1 minute between each round. Beginners may find they need more rest between rounds.
CIRCUIT #2:
30 seconds Burpee Sit Thrus
15 seconds Rest
30 seconds Lateral Ski Hops
15 seconds Rest
30 seconds Push Ups
15 seconds Rest
30 seconds Full Body Crunch
COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest
Back/Lats
NOTES:
Do as much work as possible in 30 seconds. Do whatever level of the exercise allows you to keep moving the entire time. You should be challenged but you don’t want to have to rest during the 30 seconds of work.
EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:
Toes – Stand with your feet only a few inches apart. Then lift up onto your toes. Do not rock to the outside of your feet. Try to get up onto your big toe as much as possible. Hold that position. To make this move harder, do a single leg balance, lifting up onto the ball of only one foot.
Squat Hold – Place your feet between hip-width and shoulder-width apart. Sink down until your thighs are parallel to the ground. To make it easier, do not sink as low. Keep your core engaged and your chest up. Do not lean forward too much. Make sure to sit back on your heels when you squat. You should not be on your toes at all. Do not sink below 90 degrees with this move as that actually makes it easier. And do not let your knees collapse inward. If you want to make this move harder, you could hold a weight at chest height. Make sure to keep your core tight and back flat. Beginners may want to start with a wall sit if they can’t sink down very low without their chest falling forward. Sink down as low as you can, but not below having your knees bent to 90 degrees. Press your back into the wall. Drive back off your heels, pressing yourself firmly into the wall and hold.
Scapular Hold – Stand with your back to the wall. Step a couple of inches away and bend your arms to 90 degrees. Keep your elbows in by your sides and drive them back toward the wall. Lean onto your elbows on the wall. Do not let your upper arms or back touch the wall. Relax your head back. Pinch your shoulder blades down and back while keeping your core tight as you lean into the wall. You should feel this move low between your shoulder blades. To advance the move, move your feet a bit further from the wall.
High Plank – Set up on your hands and toes (advanced) or hands and knees (beginner). Feet are together and hands are underneath your shoulders. Draw your belly button into your spine and squeeze your quads, glutes and adductors. Your shoulder blades should be down and back and your shoulders shouldn’t be up by your ears. Do not let your upper back round. Keep your head in line with your spine. If you really draw your belly button in and tilt your pelvic forward, your abs should almost instantly start shaking.
Glute Bridge – Lie on your back. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground about hip-width apart. Bring your heels in close enough to your butt that you can touch your heels when you extend your arms down by your sides. Then bend your arms to 90 degrees with only your forearms on the ground. Drive up through your heels, lifting your glutes up as high off the ground as you can. Squeeze your butt and keep your core tight. Do not hyperextend your low back. Also make sure your knees do not fall open and you are not pushing yourself backward. You want to drive straight up. Beginners will want to stick with a two-leg glute bridge while more advanced exercisers will want to progress to a single leg glute bridge.
Burpee Sit Thrus – Start standing with your feet together. Then place your hands on the ground in front of your feet. Jump your feet back so you are in the crawling/bull dog position. Beginners may need to step their feet back instead of jumping them back. Once you are in the bull dog position, you are going to perform a sit thru each way. Kick your left leg under and through as you lift your right hand and replace it with your left leg. Then bring your leg back under into the bull dog position and kick through the other way, rotating open. Once you’ve completed a sit thru on each side, jump your feet back in and stand up. As you stand back up, you are going to jump up off the ground. Beginners may not want to include the jump at the top. After you jump, go right back down and repeat the move.
Lateral Ski Hops – Keep your feet together and squat down. Then with your feet together, jump side to side. Try to jump as far to each side as quickly as possible. Beginners may want to pause in a squat after each jump to balance.
Push Ups – Beginners will do either an incline push up with their hands up on a bench or a push up from their knees. Advanced exercisers will do a push up from their hands and toes. For any variation, start by lying on the ground with your legs together. Place your hands outside your chest. Draw your belly button in toward your spine and squeeze your glutes. If doing this move from your toes, you will then press up onto your hands and toes. Your body should move in one straight line. Everything should move together as you press up to the top of the push up with the arms full extended. Do not let your butt go up in the air or your hips sag toward the ground. Do not tuck your chin. Keep your head in line with your spine. Make sure to keep your core tight so your low back doesn’t arch. Then lower back down, making sure your body moves as one unit. Touch your chest to the ground and then lift right back up. If your body doesn’t move together, if you do the “worm” as you press up or down, regress to your knees or an incline push up. Move quickly even if that means regressing the move. It is better to do an easier variation and move the entire 30 seconds than to do a harder variation and have to rest during the 30 seconds.
Full Body Crunch – Lie on your back with your legs out straight. You can place your hands behind your head or across your chest. Lift your feet up off the ground and tuck your knees in toward your chest as you crunch your upper body up. Keep a space between your chin and your chest as you lift your shoulder blades up off the ground. Crunch both your lower and upper body together then relax your upper body back down as you kick your legs out straight. Do not touch your heels to the ground until all reps are complete. Beginners may need to keep their feet up higher in the air while more advanced exercisers will kick their legs out close to the ground, keeping them only an inch or two up off the ground. After you kick your legs out, crunch everything back together.
by Cori Lefkowith | Dec 5, 2013
WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Quads
Groin
Hamstring
Hips/Glutes
Back
Chest/Shoulders
WORKOUT
Complete 3-5 rounds of each circuit. Rest 30 seconds to 1 minute between rounds and between circuits.
CIRCUIT #1:
30 sec – 1 min Toe Hold
20-30 Jump Rope Jumps for height
CIRCUIT #2:
30 sec – 1 min Squat Hold
15-20 Squat Jumps
CIRCUIT #3:
30 sec – 1 min High Plank Hold
10-20 Explosive Push Ups
CIRCUIT #4:
30 sec – 1 min Pull Up and Hold
10-15 Medball Soccer Throw
COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Quads
Groin
Hamstring
Hips/Glutes
Back
Chest/Shoulders
NOTES:
Beginners may want to modify some of the jumping moves. For example, instead of jump squats, they may want to do simple BW squats. Also, if you don’t have a med ball or a wall to throw it against, you can do band pullovers. Move quickly to pull the band out, but really control letting the band go back. You can also do simple med ball slams if you just don’t have the wall.
EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:
Toe Hold – Stand with your feet only a few inches apart. Then lift up onto your toes. Do not rock to the outside of your feet. Try to get up onto your big toe as much as possible. Hold that position. To make this move harder, do a single leg balance, lifting up onto the ball of only one foot.
Jump Rope Jumps for height – Stand with your feet only a couple of inches apart. Do a slight knee bend, but nowhere near a full squat and jump up as high as you can. Then bend your knees slightly as you land and repeat. Beginners will want to do smaller hops.
Squat Hold – Place your feet between hip-width and shoulder-width apart. Sink down until your thighs are parallel to the ground. To make it easier, do not sink as low. Keep your core engaged and your chest up. Do not lean forward too much. Make sure to sit back on your heels when you squat. You should not be on your toes at all. Do not sink below 90 degrees with this move as that actually makes it easier. And do not let your knees collapse inward. If you want to make this move harder, you could hold a weight at chest height. Make sure to keep your core tight and back flat. Beginners may want to start with a wall sit if they can’t sink down very low without their chest falling forward. Sink down as low as you can, but not below having your knees bent to 90 degrees. Press your back into the wall. Drive back off your heels, pressing yourself firmly into the wall and hold.
Squat Jumps – Stand with your feet between hip-width and shoulder-width apart. Perform a shallow squat and explode as high off the ground as possible, reaching overhead and extending your body. Do not squat too low. If you drop too low in a squat, you will actually reduce your power. Beginners may need to rest between each rep; however, that doesn’t mean landing with your legs straight. You should never land with your legs completely locked. Bend your knees to help you absorb the impact of landing.To make the move harder, jump up and sink right back into the squat to repeat as quickly as possible. Really focus on a soft landing and then exploding quickly into as high a jump as you can.
High Plank Hold – Set up on your hands and toes (advanced) or hands and knees (beginner). Feet are together and hands are underneath your shoulders. Draw your belly button into your spine and squeeze your quads, glutes and adductors. Your shoulder blades should be down and back and your shoulders shouldn’t be up by your ears. Do not let your upper back round. Keep your head in line with your spine. If you really draw your belly button in and tilt your pelvic forward, your abs should almost instantly start shaking.
Explosive Push Ups – Set up on your hands and toes (advanced) or hands and knees (beginner). Beginners may even use an incline. Feet are together and hands are underneath your shoulders. Draw your belly button into your spine and squeeze your quads, glutes and adductors. Your shoulder blades should be down and back and your shoulders shouldn’t be up by your ears. Do not let your upper back round. Keep your head in line with your spine. Then drop your chest to the ground, keeping your body in a nice straight line. When you push back up, push hard enough that you come up off the ground. Your core should stay tight as you drive back up. Do not let your hips sink or your butt go up in the air. Land and go right back into a push up. Each time explode as high off the ground as you can.
Pull Up and Hold – You can do this as a chin up or pull up. You can do it off a bar, off a peg board and/or off of TRX straps. Whichever you use pull to the top of a pull up or chin up and HOLD. The less stable the appliance, the harder this move will be. Keep your legs straight down toward the ground and your chin above the bar. Keep your chest should be pressed out and your shoulder blades should be down and back. Squeeze your belly button in toward your spine and keep your glutes tight. Hold there until time is up.
Med Ball Soccer Throw – Hold a med ball in both hands, facing a wall. Step back away from the wall enough that you can catch the ball after it hits the wall. Extend your arms up overhead and back. Your elbows should be slightly bent. Then step forward with one foot and throw the ball into the wall, extending your arms forward and down toward the wall as you throw. Catch the ball and step back. Extend the arms back overhead. Then step forward with the other foot and throw again.
